Dinnertime in Kul Elna
by Mercury-Moon-7490195
Summary: Before he was the thief king, he was just Bakura. A child of Kul Elna.


Soft feet pattered on the sand, the young boy panting as he ran.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY!"

He grinned, tucking the sphere further under his tunic. "You'll have to catch me first!" He ducked around the tiny, ramshackle houses; the shouts of his pursuers growing fainter. He hazarded a look back to see the figures were barely visible through the dust . Up ahead, a tiny flock of goats and sheep were mulling about in the town square. His smile widened.

The pack skid to a stop, looking around. "Split up," the tallest ordered. "Two of you that way, two of you down there." He glared for a moment before taking off, back down the street.

Bakura chuckled, peeking out from behind a particularly apathetic sheep. Those fools would never find him…

"BAKURA!" His mother shouted from the door. "COME INSIDE FOR YOUR SUPPER!"

_Curses. _Bakura sprang up, just as the tallest boy turned back around.

"Ha! Caught you!" he crowed, grinning.

Bakura scowled. "That doesn't count, Manu," he said, producing the ball from under his arm. "It's still mine next round."

"Yeah right, as if we'll even let you play next time."

Bakura stuck out his tongue, tossing the ball back to his friend. "See you tomorrow!" He ran through the street, rounding a corner as his mother called again.

"I'm here, I'm here," He ran past her into the house, sitting down at the table and tearing into the loaf of bread in front of him.

"Slowly," His mother said, a smile lurking under her disapproval. "You'll be ill if you eat it too fast, how many times…"

Bakura scowled, chewing deliberately until his mother turned back to her sewing. He washed the rest down with a sip of beer, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "Mother, can I go out and play early tomorrow?"

"We'll have to see," she said. "You promised me you'd help me with the beer jars in the morning, remember?"

"But that shouldn't take too long, right?" There was a flash of red outside of the window, then a knock at the door.

His mother raised an eyebrow, crossing the room and peering out the window. Her face broke into a smile as she opened the door.

"FATHER!" Bakura jumped to his feet as his mother threw her arms around the man. "You're home!"

"Early," His mother added, standing back. "Why?"

His father shrugged, flashing her a charming smile. "We were close by is all. Besides, I come bearing gifts."

"Oooh!" Bakura jumped up and down. "What did you bring?!"

"Just give me a second," He took a seat at the table, peeling the sandals from his feet. "Where is my daughter?"

"Sleeping," His mother answered, setting a jar of beer on the table."Should I wake her up?"

He shook his head. "No, that's alright. I can just give her this in the morning," he said, pulling a small rag doll from the inside of his robe.

"And for you, my son," He turned to Bakura, smiling down at his son's eager face. "I think it's time you learned to defend yourself." He produced a flint knife, holding it back as Bakura's eyes went wide. "Now, you have to promise me something,"

"Anything"

"This is not toy, you know. You're not to play with it, especially not with your friends, or your sister around. Only practice with it when your mother or I is around, or in an emergency, alright?"

Bakura nodded, awestruck. "This…is a real knife?"

"A very real knife. And very sharp, too." He handed it to him gingerly, hovering close as Bakura turned it this way and that. "You'll be careful with it, yes?"

"Of course." He beamed up at him. "Thank you father!" He jumped to his feet, giving it a practice swipe.

"Let's not in the house, Bakura," his mother said, grabbing him by the shoulder. "I think it's best if I hold onto it until your father can teach you how to use it."

"But mother…" Bakura clutched the handle to his chest. "Can I just look at it little longer?"

"As long as you set it on the table." She turned and found her husband beside her, holding out his hands.

"For you, my love," he murmured, pressing something into her hand. She looked down, gasping at the lapis lazuli pendant shining in her palm. "Haji, how—"

"Nothing's too good for you," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I love you, Ife,"

"Does that mean you're staying?" she demanded quietly. "We'd like to have you around for more than just a week."

"Just so happens you're in luck," Haji said. "There's trouble brewing in Luxor, so I'm here at least until things cool down."

"Does that mean you can help me practice tomorrow, father?" Bakura piped up from the table, still admiring the blade.

"Only if you go get some sleep, right this second."

Bakura grinned up at them both before scampering back to the bedroom with a hasty goodnight.

Ife watched her son go, shaking her head. "You shouldn't have gotten him a knife," she murmured. "What if he hurts someone…himself…"

"We'll take care of him…and teach him to take care of himself." He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her firmly. "I can make it up to you…"

She laughed, kissing him back. "After I get our son to sleep."


End file.
